Hydraulic turbine runner



June 12, 1934. G, A BIGGS HYDRAULIC TURBINE RUNNER Filed Dec. 15. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l wmvroe HTTOE/YEYS Patented June 12, 1934 UNIED STATES PATENT D FF ICE HYDRAULIC TURBINE RUNNER George A. Biggs, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The James Leifel and (30., Springfield, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio This invention relates to improvements in turbines, and in particular to runners used in connection with turbines, and has for its object to provide a runner which has mounted thereon a plurality of buckets, each of which is adapted to rotate on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the runner, and has a blade extending outwardly and downwardly from the runner.

It is an object of this invention to provide, in connection with a runner, a plurality of buckets, each of which consists of a hub mounted in horizontal bearings in the bucket, and a blade extending outwardly and downwardly from the hub, the upper surface of which is concave while the lower surface is convex.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a runner having pivotally mounted thereon a plurality of downwardly inclined blades so connected within the runner that they rotate in unison, and so formed that the action of the water on the blades, together with their centrifugal force, will cause the blades to be self-adjusting.

It is also an object of this invention .to provide blades so balanced that centrifugal force tends to move them torelieve the hydraulic thrust on the bearings of the blades as centrifugal force tends to move the outer ends .of the blades; it is my object to provide blades that tend to close of their own accord by reason of the hydraulic thrust, in that the area of theblade between the leading edge and the axis of the blade is greater than between the axis of the blade andthe trailing edge.

These and other advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a section through the turbine structure, showing the runner with the buckets mounted thereon and the self-adjusting mechanism in the runner connecting the hubs.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a modified form of runnerwith buckets mounted thereon, the hubs of which are mounted in horizontal axes, while the blades extend outwardly and downwardly from the hubs.

Figure 4 is a view showing the relative positions of adjacent blades when open and when closed.

The runner shaft l'is connected by. any suitable means to a runner 2, which is hollow and adapted to contain mechanism for rotating the buckets, or for so connecting the'buckets that they will rotate in unison. The runner has extending therefrom a plurality of buckets 3, eachcomposed of a hub 4 mounted in the runner on an axissubstantially perpendicular to -the axis of the runner shaft and the runner. The 69 horizontal bearing for the hub is indicated by the numeral 5.

The outer blade part of the bucket extends downwardly and outwardly from the hub and increases in width from the hub toward the outer end thereof so that when thebuckets are suitably rotated the leading edge of one bucket is overlapped by the trailing edge of an adjacent bucket, so that the passageway for the water is substantially cut oif. In the hub and fixed to the shaft 1 is a casing 2a which has therein baffles 2b and a shaft with bafilesfia thereon, alternating with the baffles '21).

Located vertically within the runner is a shaft 6 which has mounted thereon a gear 7 111 mesh with a plurality of segmental gears 8, one of which is mounted on each of the hubs 4. .By this mechanism the rotation of one bucket will cause therotation of each ofthe other buckets, and any tendency to rotate one bucket will cause a corresponding rotation in all of the other buckets.

The axis of each hub is indicated by the line ab and extends from thecentral .part of the hub to a point in the end of the blade somewhat below the leading edge. When the blades are open the leading edge assumes a position cd while the trailing edge assumes a position ef. The axis of each blade is indicated by the line a-g. The point 9 is substantially halfway between the point b and the point f. A lesser part of the lateral surface of the blade is between the line a--b and the leading edge, such as c-d, of the blade, shown in Figure 1, and the greater area is between the line a-b and thetrailing edge e,f, as-shown in Figure v1.

It is therefore apparent that the thrust of the water upon the blades tends to open the blades, while the centrifugal force of the blades tendsto overcomethe thrust of the water on the blades and neutralizes the forceand maintains the blades in a proper position for operation. The downward inclination of the blades, together with the centrifugal force of the blades, tends to equalize'the pressure on the hubs. If there wereno centrifugal force upon the blades thepressure at the points h and iwoul'd be very great. The centrifugal force of the blades which tends to move the outer ends -of the runner edge on the blades;

of application Ser. No. 647,352 is constant.

blades upwardly, relieves this pressure on the hubs at these points.

The following are the essential advantages of applicants runner and bucket structure. The machine work necessary is facilitated, the parts are more easily assembled, and connection between the hubs is more easily made. The following are some operative advantages. The centrifugal force tends to lift the outer ends of the blades and elevate the axes a and g of the blades. It tends to reduce the bearing pressure on the points It and and maintain a more nearly equal friction between the hubs and the runner. Less force is necessary to rotate the buckets.

There is a tendency of the buckets to close, due to centrifugal action, and a tendency of the buckets to open, due to water thrust. These forces tend to coast and produce a runner in which the blades have a neutral action. Ehe centrifugal action or" the blades is not entirely balanced by the water thrust, but the centrifugal action together with he balanced connec tion between the hubs cooperating with the thrust of the water on the blades, tend to hold the blades in position. The adjusted position of the blades depends upon the thrust of the water on the blades, and also depends upon the rotation of the shaft and its runner.

In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4 the hub 4 is provided with an actuating stud 9 working in a cam slot 10 of the actuating block 11 on the reciprocating shaft 12, which is remotely actuated from a point beyond the shaft 1, through which it projects through a passageway 13.

The longitudinal axis of this shaft 12 is at right angles to the hub axis of the hub 4, which hub axis is at an acute angle to the blade axis ay.

It will be noted that the area of the blade towards the leading edge and towards the free end of the blade is greater than the area of the blade between the axis and the leading edge adjacent the hub.

It will be understood that it desired to comprehend Within this invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

The instant case is distinguished from applicants Patent No. 1,948/l78 of February 20, 1934, (application Ser. No. 618,489, filed June 21, 1932) by reason of the fact that the instant provides a straight leading edge and trailing and provides a constant area from hub to periphery on one side at the center lines of the blades and a progressively greater area from hub to periphery on the other side of the center lines of the blades while preserving straight lines from hub to periphery. Furthermore, the instant case provides for a complete overlap along these straight lines so as to provide a complete closure of the area. filled by the blades.

The instant application is distinguished from Biggs application Ser. No. 647,352, filed December 15, 1932, by the fact that the leading edge area in the present invention is variable from hub to periphery while the leading edge area In application Ser. No. 647,352 the larger and variable area is on the trailing edge for the purpose of normally balancing the hydraulic thrust with respect to the centrifugal force, the adjustment 2 of the blades being utilized to throw the blades out of their normal balance due to these two forces. The instant application deals with the right angle flow, the amount of which is variable throughout the length of the blade while the application Ser. No. 647,352 deals with a straight line flow, the amount or wh'ch is contant throughout the length of the blade.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a turbine, a runner therefor, and a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner and a downwardly inclined blade, the greater area of each bucket being on one side of its hub axis, and the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

2. In a turbine, a runner therefor and a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner, and a downwardly inclined blade, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, the outer end of each blade being wider than its hub end, whereby the trailing edge of one blade may overlie the leading edge of an adjacent blade, said blade having straight l ading and trailing edges.

3. In a turbine, a runner therefor and a plu rality of buckets on the runner, each buck t having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, and a downwardly inclined blade having a convex lower surface and a concave upper surface, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

4. In a turbine, a runner therefor and a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point 1 where the blade is atttached to the hub, and a downwardly inclined blade having a convex lower surface and a concave upper surface, the outer end of each blade being wider than its hub end, whereby the trailing edge of one may overlie the leading edge of an adjacent blade, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

5. In a turbine, a runner therefor, a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner and a blade extending downwardly from the hub, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, and means in the runner connecting the hubs to cause the blades to rotate in unison, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

6. In a turbine, a runner therefor, a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontally disposed hub journalled in the runner and a downwardly inclined blade, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, and means in the runity of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontal hub journalled in the runner and a blade extending outwardly and downwardly from the hub, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, each blade being wider at its outer end than at its hub end, a gear on each hub, and a gear in the runner engaging all of the hub gears, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

8. In a turbine, a runner therefor, a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontal hub journalled in the runner and a blade extending outwardly and downwardly from the hub, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, each blade having a concave upper surface and a convex lower surface, a gear on each hub, and a gear in the runner engaging the hub gears, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

9. In a turbine, a runner therefor, a plurality of buckets on the runner, each bucket having a horizontal hub journalled in the runner and a blade extending outwardly and downwardly from the hub, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of thebucket at the point Where the blade is attached to the hub, each blade having a concave upper surface and a convex lower surface, the outer end of each blade being wider than its hub end, whereby the edges of the blades may overlap, a gear on each hub, and a gear in the runner engaging the hub gears, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

10. In a turbine, a runner and a plurality of buckets pivoted on the runner, said buckets being adapted to overlap, the axis of each runner being horizontal, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, the greater lateral area and the greater weight of each bucket being below the axis thereof, whereby the impact of the water on the blades tends to open them while the centrifugal force of the blades tends to close them.

11. In a turbine, a runner and a plurality of buckets pivoted to the runner, each bucket having a horizontal hub journalled in the runner, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, and a downwardly and outwardly extending blade wider at its free end than at its hub end, whereby the rotation of the runner tends to close the blades and the thrust of the water on the blades tends to open them. I

12. In a turbine, a runner, a plurality of buckets pivoted to the runner, each bucket having a horizontal hub journalled in the runner, the line of the axis of the hub intersecting the axis of the bucket at the point where the blade is attached to the hub, and a downwardly and outwardly extending blade wider at its free end than at its hub end, whereby the rotation of the runner tends to close the blades and the thrust of the water on the blades tends to open them, and an equalizing means in the runner connecting the hubs, said blade having straight leading and trailing edges.

13. In a hydraulic turbine runner, a hub runner shaft, and a plurality of rotatably mounted blades whose longitudinal axes are so arranged that there is a greater area between such axes and the leading edges of the blades than the trailing edges, whereby the hydraulic thrust tends to close the blades, and mechanical means remotely operated adapted to open said blades, said blades being adapted to overlap throughout their length when closed.

14. A new article of manufacture for use as a hydraulic turbine runner blade comprising a horizontal hub, a diagonally disposed blade so designed that the longitudinal axis of the blade is positioned in the blade, whereby there is a uniform area between the axis and the trailing edge from hub to the tip or" the blade and the area from hub to tip of the blade between the axis and the leading edge is progressively greater towards the tip of the blade.

15. In a right angle flow hydraulic turbine in which the water turns approximately 90 degrees before engaging the runner buckets, the combination of a right angle draft tube and gate casing, a runner mounted therein having buckets, the axles of which are disposed horizontally and the blades of which are disposed diagonally with respect to said axles, said blades having their leading and trailing edges straight and half or" the blade is constant in width from periphery to hub while the other half is progressively less from periphery to hub.

16. In a right angle flow hydraulic turbine in which the water turns approximately 90 degrees before engaging the runner buckets, the combination of a right angle draft tube and gate casing, a runner mounted therein having buckets, the axles of which are disposed horizontally and the blades of which are disposed diagonally with respect to said axles, said blades having their leading and trailing edges straight and half of the blade is constant in width from periphery to hub while the other half is progressively less from periphery to hub, the width of the respective halves at the periphery of the respective blades being equal.

17. In a right angle flow hydraulic turbine in which the water turns approximately 90 degrees before engaging the runner buckets, the combination of a right angle draft tube and gate casing, a runner mounted therein having buckets, the axles of which are disposed horizontally and the blades of which are disposed diagonally with respect to said axles, said blades having their leading and trailing edges straight and half of the blade is constant in width from periphery to hub while the other half is progressively less from periphery to hub, the width of the respective halves at the periphery of the respective blades being equal, and means for simultaneously adjusting said axles and buckets rotatably.

GEORGE A. BIGGS. 

